SPOKANE, Wash. - Josh McElwee, a 2012 Newberry College graduate and 20th round draft pick of the Texas Rangers, will begin his professional career with the Spokane Indians of the short-season Class A Northwest League as announced by the Rangers' organization Monday.

McElwee became the 15th MLB draftee in Newberry history when the Rangers selected him last Wednesday. McElwee began his career as a Newberry Indian in 2008 and was one of only two classes to play as the Indians, without a nickname and as the Wolves. When Spokane begins its season Friday night by hosting the Vancouver Canadians, he will be the first to return to an Indians jersey.

McElwee was named honorable mention all-Southeast Region by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and graduated cum laude from Newberry earlier this month with a bachelor of science in business administration. He was a first team all-South Atlantic Conference selection and finished his senior season with a 5-4 record and a 3.99 earned run average, striking out 97 batrters in 79.0 innings pitched. He was twice named the SAC Pitcher of the Week and ranked eighth nationally in strikeouts per nine innings and 16th in the nation in strikeouts. He also hit .273 with a homerun and 20 RBIs as an infielder.

He was the first South Atlantic Conference player picked in this year's draft and third from the Southeast Region of Division II.

McElwee was only the fourth first team all-SAC selection for Newberry since joining the league in 1997. He is Newberry's all-time strikeout leader with 318 puchouts. In his career he notched a 17-12 record with one save, four complete games and a 3.86 earned run average. Opposing batters only hit .257 against him in 263.1 innings over 51 appearances.